An assault charge against a Belleville Police Service constable has been stayed.
On Tuesday, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville, Justice Brian Weagant agreed with defence attorney Leo Kinahan’s application alleging Constable Laura White’s right to trial within a reasonable period of time had been breached.
Constable White was charged with assault related to a September 17, 2021 in-custody incident involving a 36-year-old male.
In a statement to Quinte News Kinahan said, “Though we were prepared for, and had started, the trial and were confident that Cst. White would be fully exonerated after all of the evidence was put before the court, ultimately it was determined by Justice Weagant that her right to a trial within a reasonable period of time had been violated and the only remedy was a Judicial Stay of Proceedings, which he issued. Notwithstanding the stay, it is worth noting that the actions of Cst. White on the evening in question were fully supported by Mr. Chris Lawrence, a highly respected expert on police use of force and defensive tactics throughout North America, who conducted an extensive, unbiased examination of the circumstances surrounding the charge and determined that she was in full compliance with her use of force and defensive tactics training. Being on charge for these allegations has been difficult for Cst. White, as it would be for any law-abiding person, but notwithstanding that fact, she has remained on active duty and her display of resiliency and dedication to her profession, speaks volumes of her character.”
Kinahan said the hope was that the application would have been heard well in advance of the trial but circumstances did not allow for that to happen.
